


Getting Used to Not Working Next to You

by Ivyzord



Category: Disco Elysium (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon, Spoilers, colleagues? friends?, location- precinct 57
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:15:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24825907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ivyzord/pseuds/Ivyzord
Summary: Have you ever had that person in your life, perhaps in a professional setting, who you are not exactly friends with, but you still like that person and you have a weakness for them and when they leave you can't help but feel sad. A part of your life goes away and you can't help but wonder if they will think of you from time to time. Maybe you could have been friends, maybe not but you'll never know now. This is what I was trying to capture here. Kim is leaving the precinct and Alice is not happy at that. Kineema is also mentioned“Let me be direct here.” Alice makes a little pause giving Kim a chance to stop her if he wanted. “Is there any truth to the rumor, that you are leaving us?”He hesitates for just a moment.“Yes. I was just discussing the conditions of my transfer.” That is the plan, but he saw it as leaving the precinct, that he mostly sees as walls, bad memories and patrol routes. ‘Us’ as in ‘people’, sounds too personal for comfort, especially coming from her.
Relationships: Alice DeMettrie & Kim Kitsuragi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26





	Getting Used to Not Working Next to You

**Author's Note:**

> Alice deserves a fic. Goddamn, she does!

News of the joined precinct operation success and Lieutenants Kitsuragi’s return to the station came with some troubling comments.

Alice tried not to put to much stock in rumors, but nevertheless she came across many in her line of work. The one about 51’st finest leaving for the infamous ‘murder precinct’ caused her some concern. She tried to dismiss it. It just felt so unlikely, especially right after a case, that seems a bizarre ordeal. She have managed to learn that the officer she was communicating with was the notorious Harrier Du Bois. Regarding the topic of rumors, this man had a generous heap of those circling him. She have heard almost as many positive things on his past, as bad things about his more recent stunts. It seemed highly unlikely, that presence of such a person would prove further convincing.

She can feel the curiosity getting better of her about the case, about the legendary Du Bois and about the damned gossips. Besides, she can’t help but to look forward to listening to Kim relay the story with tired, amused bewilderment, which he would most certainly do after some patient coaxing.

So when Kim leaves the captain's office, trying not to look sour about something, she waves to him. He sends her a smallest, most tired of smiles, as he approaches.

“Good to see you, lieutenant”

“Good morning, Alice.” He nods politely. “Thank you, for your help, earlier.”

“Don’t mention it, it’s a part of my job description. I’m just glad you are back and no worse for wear.” After all she heard it’s a real relief to see him in one piece. She gives him a bright smile of her own. She couldn’t stop it if she wanted to. “How are you fairing after Martinaise?”

Seemingly unable find sufficient words right away he exhales, massaging his forehead. He is uncharacteristically unfocused. “To be honest I probably should be home, nursing my concussion.” Ah, that explains it.

“From what I heard that must have been a hell of a report you just handed over:” She looks at him tilting her head to the side. “How a coffee break sounds? Things are slow now, I’m sure I can get someone to take over for a while.”

* * *

Within the walls of the break room Kim feels as familiar as he does stagnated. What he have seen and done over this week opened his eyes to that. He has fought long for this role, for the respect. It will be a surprise for some that he wants to leave his hard-earned place after all that. The truth is that spending so all this time and so much of himself to get here made him feel a bit resentful towards this place. It will be refreshing to go somewhere where he was invited. A coffee is placed carefully before him along with a question.

“So why are you here instead of home, resting?” Alice takes a sit across of him. Besides them the room is empty.

He lays his hand on a mug, feeling the warmth through his gloves. “Had a report to hand over, hings to discus with the captain. There is always something to do.” He’s not sure if it sounded like a complaint. It was suppose to be just a statement. He is not opposed to keeping busy. Moving to the 41’st would, most likely, be a bad idea if he was.

“Let me be direct here.” Alice makes a little pause giving Kim a chance to stop her if he wanted. “Is there any truth to the rumor, that you are leaving us?”

He hesitates for just a moment.“Yes. I was just discussing the conditions of my transfer.” That is the plan, but he saw it as leaving the precinct, that he mostly sees as walls, bad memories and patrol routes. ‘Us’, especially coming from her sounds too personal.

A deep sigh comes out of Alice. Kim looks at her with a risen brow. She looks down at her coffee as she speaks up again. “It will take some adjusting, but alright.” There are dozens of follow up questions she could be asking. Kim is honestly grateful that, at least for now, she doesn't. “The place won’t be the same without you, lieutenant” That has taken him by surprise, when he looks at her in disbelieve, she is still focuses intently on her mug, but continues. “At least, it will feel different to me.”

He gives himself a moment by taking a sip of his coffee before answering. “Thank you, Alice, but I’m sure I’m not that essential to the station. You’ll manage without me. I have a feeling a few will be relived to learn that I’m leaving.

She finally looks up at him. “Lieutenant Kitsuragi” Her voice carries a mock indignation “Barely a step out of here and you are badmouthing your former colleagues.”

“This things don’t get processed that fast. We’re all still colleagues for now. Besides, Alice, you have nothing to worry on that matter.”

She smiles brightly “You’re probably gonna miss your motor carriage the most, anyway.”

Kim know that was suppose to be humorous remark, so he sound reluctant admitting that it is has been serious topic of his negotiations. “I was just trying to come up with some kind of arrangement, to maybe try to keep it. Re-register it to the new place.”

Alice falls silent. That might have been a wrong thing to say in that situation, but when she speaks again it’s with a goal. “I might have an angle, to help you with that.” This is just how she is. Always analyzing, ever helpful. Rresourceful and professional. A woman after his own heart.

“Now that you are leaving the case might be easily fully credited to the 41’st… I’d say you hold the cards. Try offering some acknowledgment to the old station. That might give you some advantage. I get a feeling our new captain is starved for positive attention.”

It’s Kim turn to sit quietly for a moment, a displeased grimace on his face. Playing into interdepartmental politics leaves a bad taste in his mouth, but the cause is worthy in his eyes. A thought pops up in his head. He doesn't hold back a wry smile forming on his lips.“Do you think sharing a credit for finding a new species would help?”

She looks at his face wide-eyed, trying to decipher the meaning behind the words, trying to find a hint that this is some kind of joke. She finds none.“You’re serious, aren’t you?

“I am.” Kim answers casually checking on his watch. “I think I’ll try talking to the captain again.”

“You cannot just say something like that and drop the subject! That whole case sounds just so bizarre.”

“It is quite a long story.” A smirk doesn't leave his face. He wants to talk about that, at least parts of it. Alice is quick to catch that.

“Tell me over lunch?”

“Yes, that sounds good.” If the plan works, if he manages to keep his Kineema somehow, he decides, he’s buying that lunch.”I’ll have to call a few people” Kim stands up and takes a few steps towards the exit fully expecting Alice to follow. When She doesn't he turns around towards her.

“You go on ahead. I’ll just finish my coffee.” He doesn't offer any follow up questions and chooses to ignore the empty cup she’s cradling.

“Alright, I’ll see you later.”

The concussion must still be bothering him, because he is surprised by his own tired sigh when he is alone in the corridor. He knows himself enough not to pretend he is a kind of person who would make a social call to his former colleagues. Some of them he gets along perfectly fine, on a professional level, but Alice… Alice he might actually miss.

**Author's Note:**

> Wanted to do something about Alice for a while, but couldn't find an angle. Hopefully this works. I don't even care all that much if it gets all that popular it's just something I had to do. I was working from little hints about her and her relation with Kim. 
> 
> Alice is cool. I love her portrait.


End file.
